The image of his 12-year-old daughter, Christina, wrapped in the rays of an evening sunset, strumming chords on her brand new guitar, is one that Richard (Ric) Berns couldn't resist capturing.

"It was so beautiful, with the rays of sunlight coming through the blinds and going across her face," Berns said of the scene he happened upon in his Racine home last spring. "I told her 'Nina, you've got to let me take a picture of you'."

Berns not only snapped a few photographs, he eventually transformed the scene into a colorful work of art - combining watercolor, acrylic and pencil - which caught the attention of judges at the Watercolor Wisconsin 2008 exhibit, currently on display at the Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, 2519 Northwestern Ave.

The artist's enthusiasm for the image of his daughter was apparently shared by the show's judges who gave his painting, titled "Nina Nebraska," two major awards. It took second place among Watercolor Wisconsin's best in show, as well as the George Frederiksen Memorial Purchase Award, which means that Berns' painting is one of five pieces in the show that were purchased by the Racine Art Museum for its permanent collection.

This is not the first time that Berns' work has been chosen for purchase by the museum. Another painting of his daughter, titled "Wading While Waiting," was given the same purchase award in 2004, he said. And while he admits to having a little trouble letting go of such personal pieces, which gave him great joy in creating, the Racine native feels honored to have his work chosen for the permanent collection.

"When you go into a gallery and see your painting hanging there, it gives you a whole different feeling," said Berns, who earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside's Art Department in 1989. "Who knows? One day, after I pass on, my daughter might be able to walk into the gallery with her children and see it there."

Local talent

Berns is one of several Racine County artists whose work earned awards in this year's Watercolor Wisconsin show, which will continue at the Wustum Museum through April 25. Others include Alice Rossman, who received an Award of Merit for her "Stimulating the Economy;" and Susan M. Sorenson, who also won a merit award for "Hot Topic." Local artists who received merchandise awards are John Krewal, for "Why Kellie Pickler?" and Joyce Ottum for "November."

A total of 20 Racine County artists are among the 93 Wisconsin artists whose works was selected for the show. Of 317 pieces submitted for consideration (by 185 artists), 106 were chosen for the Watercolor Wisconsin 2008 exhibition. The annual show, which has been organized by the museum since 1966, features a wide-range of work created on paper, using water-based mediums.

When choosing pieces for inclusion in this show, Frank Paluch said he looked for two main criteria: How creative a piece is and how well the artist handled the materials. One of two judges for Watercolor Wisconsin 2008, Paluch is the director of Chicago's Perimeter Gallery and has juried competitions at a number of universities and The Smithsonian American Art Museum. This year's second judge was Martha Tedeschi, curator of prints and drawings at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Subject matter is a consideration in his selection process, Paluch explained, and even pieces that may not be aesthetically significant will be considered if they are well executed.

"I like to create a variety of things for the public to see," he said.

Excellent elegance

In addition to Berns' "Nina Nebraska," the other piece that still stands out in Paluch's mind, more than a month after the jurying process, is John Wickenberg's elegant depiction of "Three Gourds and a Skull."

"Those two pieces are extremely well done," Paluch said.

Wickenberg's painting, which took Watercolor Wisconsin's First Award this year, is a stunningly realistic still life of several gourds and an animal skull done in watercolor and gouache (an opaque watercolor technique). Set against a solid black background, the intricately detailed objects seems almost three dimensional.

Wickenberg, who lives in Dousman, said he is intrigued by the black background technique because of the effect of infinite space it creates. By isolating objects from their environment, the blackness allows the viewer to better see their detail, he explained.

"I try to reserve (the black background) for objects that have a lot of texture," said Wickenberg, who is no newcomer to Watercolor Wisconsin awards. This year's award is at least his third first place since he began submitting work to the show in 1995.

In addition to their interesting textures, what drew Wickenberg to the gourds as subject matter was their coloration.

"The subtle colors of nature - the grays, yellows and ochres - are a challenge to me," said the professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Having recently had his work featured in a career-survey exhibit at Milwaukee's Charles Allis Art Museum, Wickenberg said he appreciates being a part of Watercolor Wisconsin not only because the annual show is known for its high-quality work, but because it features such a variety of watercolor forms as well.

"It is a great place to show and it is always nice to get together with artists from around the state," he said. "It is also a real nice opportunity to see other people are doing."

If You Go

WHAT: Watercolor Wisconsin 2008

WHEN: Now through April 25. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

WHERE: Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, 2519 Northwestern Ave.

COST: Admission and parking are free.

INFO: Call (262) 636-9177 or visit:

http://www.ramart.org

Award Winners

Other award winners for Watercolor Wisconsin 2008 include: Jean Crane, of Cedarburg, who took the Third Award with her "Wild Garden in Fall"; and Helen Klebesadel, of Madison, who earned an Award of Merit for "Morels". Purchase awards were also presented as follows: The Rufin and Mary Ann Naczinski Memorial Purchase Award went to Kitty Sturrock for "Spidermum and Alstroemeria"; the Harold F. Radewan and Patricia Raichert Memorial Purchase Award to James Michael for "Up River"; and the Bruce Zimmerman Memorial Purchase Award to JoAnna Poehlmann for "Squash Anyone? II."

Merchandise Awards

Merchandise awards were given to: Katherine Balsley of Brown Deer for "The Ash Can School," Dennis Bayuzick of Kenosha for "IOU," Joyce Eesley of Milwaukee for "Silver Reflections," Jan Effinger of Mequon for "Arctic Winter," Mary Francis Hill of Fitchburg for "Mariner Cafe," Linda Koenig of Black Earth for "Pure in Spirit #5," Tim Ladwig of Milwaukee for "Houses," Madge McFarlane of Madison for "Hong Kong Lights," James Michael of Sheboygan, for "Up River," Anne Moitke of Whitefish Bay for "Cezannean Ode," Annette L. Schuh of Stevens Point for "Impressions," Kitty Sturrock of Mequon for "Spidermum" and "Alstroemeria," Deborah Vandenbloomer of Greenville for "In God's Cathedral," and Leslie Vansen of Milwaukee for "Praeda."